I was lost, but now am found...

I really am still alive, just missing in action lately. We are basically moved all moved in, except for our office, which is the bane of my existance for the time being. I have things in my office that I am in need of and CAN'T FIND! It's quite frustrating. That's the biggest reason I haven't posted lately, I just don't spend much time in that room.

Also, we started on our countertops. By started I mean we don't have countertops or a sink right now. There are pros and cons to this. What are the pros, you ask? Well, I don't have to open the top drawer or cupboard door for anything inside, I just reach in. Another good thing is I've stayed right on top of doing my dishes. How? After every meal, I take the dishes up to the tub, wash rinse and set up the drainboard right there. Staying up on dishes? Good. Washing dishes in the tub? Sucks. The downside to no countertops or sink are much more numerous than the positive side. I'm sure I don't need to elaborate on this.

So, on another note, as we were working in the kitchen last night, Nov. 1st (keep that in mind) we turned on the radio to KOSY 106.5. I heard a Christmas song come on! I was shocked! Then another, then another! It never stopped. And this morning on my way to work I turned it on, just to check, and yep, more Christmas music! What ever happened to the day after Thanksgiving being the start of the Christmas season?! Who knew it started the day after Halloween? I thought that was pretty interesting.

Well, as soon as I get pictures loaded to the computer, I'll put some up. I'll do that soon because I have Halloween pictures I want to share. Yeah! 'Till then...

Our new house!

Here are some before and after pictures, finally! I realized that we didn't have very good before pictures as soon as I started to compare them. Well that's okay, because it'e the after that really counts, right?



This is the front living room. The biggest changes (in addition to people and furniture) is there is no more carpet here, but dark hardwood floors, and a tan paint on the walls. Makes such a difference!

Okay, for some reason, my pictures don't want to upload tonight. Maybe blogger is busy, but it's taken about 10 minutes to load these two and get them right. So, I think the others will have to wait. I hope you enjoy the little preview!

Coming soon...

I'm at work and have to make this quick. =) We are getting internet hooked up tomorrow at our house, so I'll be getting back online soon! We have our wood floors in and they look FANTASTIC! Great job to Michael (and me and Zander who helped a little)! He's such a great guy. We finally have our furniture in place, are almost done painting, and our kitchen is actually getting unpacked. I have the utilities in my name now. Man, you just forget how much crap there is to do when you move! Stay tuned for pics of the new house! Yeah!

7 random things about me

I have read this on other peoples blogs, but my sister (thanks, Mar) officially tagged me to do one. So, without further adieau:
1. I hate dirty feet. I love to wear sandals, but not anywhere that I know my feet will get dirt on them. And if I feel like my feet are dirty and I'm just sitting somewhere (like in the car) I just keep my toes up so they don't hit my dirty flip-flops. Eewww.
2. I love to read. And I love to read mystery novels. However, mystery novels sometimes scare me. So I'll read a good one, then have to find some sappy love story or other type novel to read in between or I start to get paranoid. Just ask my husband.
3. I love snowmen. And snowflakes. I had a friend whose mom used to collect Santa Clauses and I thought that was so cool. But I have found that without even trying I have started to collect snowmen. It's just everytime I see one I just have to have it! Snowflake jewelry is super cute (especially necklaces, hint, hint), but currently I don't have any.
4. I love small things. Anything miniature is adorable to me. Little tiny dishes, notebooks, pens, stuffed animals, you name it. I used to get teased saying I loved small things because they were just my size. (Jerks)
5. I am still fascinated with little girl things. For example, I see the Barbie movies at the video store and want to rent it because Barbie is so pretty. I sometimes wish I had a little girl so I could get away with stuff like that. My favorite color right now is pink. I love to dress up in pretty clothes and wear cute jewelry and just feel pretty!
6. I am obsessed with maps. Maps of every size and color. I like to learn where places are, names of states and capitols, countries, whatever. mapquest.com is one of my favorite hits on the computer. If I could decorate an entire room with maps as wallpaper, I would. (The new office? What do you think, Babe?)
7. I collect quotes. I don't use them much for anything, but I love to collect them, and have a notebook specially dedicated to great quotes (or funny ones) that I find. One of my all time favorites is by Marianne Williamson (not Nelson Mandela):
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Well, there you all have it. You know a little bit more of the craziness that is Rachel!

Out of the mouths of babes

Last night at 8:30, Zander and I are in the kitchen getting a snack. We're frying a quesadilla, so he's standing on a chair and I'm standing next to him cooking our treat. Here's a little snippet of our conversation:
Rachel: "Zander, I love you."
Zander: silence.
Rachel: "Zander, I said I love you."
Zander: "I can't say that to you right now."
Rachel: "You know, you can say I love you anytime and anywhere."
Zander: "Now is just not a good time, Mom."

Not a good time? He's only 4! Where do they come up with these things!

Then a little bit later, when I'm rebandaging his 'owie', again he's standing on a chair and I'm standing in front of him putting a bandaid on his hand (where he got a blister from sliding down our rope swing) and he laughs a little laugh then says, "Do you want to get away from me? I just tooted." Then laughs again.
Kids are so stinkin' cute!

my presidency (yes, mine)

So, I'm in the primary presidency, for those who don't know, and tonight we had our weekly meeting. We have our primary program on Sunday (yeah!) and we did the finishing touches on that and the final draft of the seating chart, which took way more time than you would think (think how many kids there are, and who can and can't sit by who, who can/can't be seen behind the piano, etc.). In our meeting our president asked for suggestions on who to put in as 1st counselor when we move. We talked about a few names, then I started crying. What a baby! I'm going to miss these girls so much! They have been my best friends and we have so much fun together, even when we're just in meetings. Rachel, Melissa and Joanne, here is your warning: You better keep in CLOSE contact with me (I know I'll only be a few miles away, but once we don't see each other in church and at meetings...it's all downhill from there. At least we all have our blogs!
I love you girls!!
Side note: this picture is an old one...our secretary also moved and we have a new one (we miss you Irinna!), but I don't have a picture of the 4 of us, so sorry Joanne!

WE'RE MOVING!

We bought a new house! Well it's not brand new, but it will be new to us. We close on it next week and move in next weekend! I can't believe it's already here...does anyone know how long it takes to box up a house? I'm pretty sure I don't have that much time until moving day comes. Michael is out of town all this week so not much is happening in that area right now....Aaaahhh! We'll keep our same phone numbers, so don't lose those! We're really excited, because our new house will have a playroom! Yeah for toys being all in one room! We are also going to be doing some renovations and I'm excited for all of that! We'll keep you posted as we get closer and things start moving.